Nintendo Switch Will Rely Less on Friend Codes Post-Launch

This morning brought the disheartening and flabbergasting news that Nintendo was bringing its hated Friend Code system to the Switch when it launches tomorrow. But it turns out there’s a silver lining in that Nintendo will add additional options for Switch owners to add more gamers to their friends lists post-launch.

A Nintendo representative informed Polygon today that the company plans to slowly ween Switch owners off the 12-digit Friend Code system by adding other options like social network integration, in-game menus, and the customizable Nintendo Network ID usernames. As was reported earlier in the day, Nintendo also re-confirmed that console owners could add friends from their Miitomo and Super Mario Run friends lists. The rep also clarified that this will happen via those individuals showing as “friend candidates” to whom Switch owners can easily send friend requests.

Here’s the full quote from the rep about the other ways Switch owners will be able to fill out their friends lists:

Also, we are planning it so that friends from social networking services will be listed as candidates, too.

In the future, you will be able to send a friend request to friends associated with your NNID (Wii U/Miiverse) and Nintendo 3DS.

In some games you will be able to use an in-game interface to send friend requests.

The representative had no new information to share about when these additional options will be deployed or if this means Friend Codes will eventually be phased out entirely, saying only that Nintendo was “looking into it.”